Closing Of School – Cancellation Of Classes

Brent International School Manila adheres to the Storm Signal Guidelines established by the Department of Education of the Philippines. Accordingly, when storm signals are posted over Biñan Laguna, classes will be affected as follows:

Please also know that the President of the Philippines and the Brent School Headmaster are the only two other individuals who can suspend classes.

Every attempt will be made to contact parents, students and teachers in the event of a cancellation of classes. If you have not heard or are unsure, calling the school at 600-10-301 to 309 after 6:00 a.m. may be the best way to find out for sure.

We realize that parents have the ultimate responsibility for determining whether or not their children go to school. Even if no order for the suspension of classes has been issued, if parents feel that traveling to or from school will place there children at risk, we certainly understand and will honor their decision.

Biñan Christmas Charity Drive!

a progress report for Thursday, 12 November 2009

The support our greater Brent School community continues to give to our neighbors in Biñan is nothing short of phenomenal! Since we wrote last time about the donations we had received from the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. (AFI), more than fifty Brent students, parents, faculty, staff and administrators helped distribute those goods last Friday, 6 November, together with personnel and donations from Springboard Foundation and WE International. Because of the tremendous organization of the Biñan Mayor’s office (with advice from our Brent administrators!), we were able to distribute those goods to 2,000 families in about forty minutes!

In a lengthy text message to us the following day, Biñan Mayor Len Alonte-Naguiat said in part, “Yesterday we brought so much joy, hope and faith to my fellow citizens. Some of us thought that we just gave them some food or clothing, but I am positive you have given them much more. I believe you have taught them about sharing. Most of them received answered prayers and will continue to have faith in the Lord through people like you!” As Fr. Jance has said many times in describing the Brent Cares program, “We do what we can. Whenever and wherever we can.” It was an honor for this author to be a part of that distribution effort!

And the work continues. We have made and will continue to make other trips of support to the area. To name but a few:

But, as mentioned in the last two updates, for the next five weeks we need to focus attention on our annual and well-established Biñan Christmas Charity Drive. All student councils and our PTA are supporting this effort with many different projects to help raise the necessary funds to fill 1,000 Christmas buckets. We certainly appreciate and understand that this is an ambitious goal at a very difficult time, but a goal we feel we can and must reach with your continued generosity and support.

The suffering and misery continues for many so very close to our school, and we thank each and every one of you for your unselfish support of those in need. You are all very important reasons why Brent School Manila is “the place to be!” Thank you again and Godspeed!

Overwhelming Support!

a progress report for Thursday, 29 October 2009

The last five weeks have been truly amazing in terms of Brent Manila community generosity, spirit and support for those devastated by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. The greater Brent community certainly proved again and again exactly why it is that Brent International School Manila is “the place to be!” Thank you so much for your help!

If you have not followed from the very beginning this amazing journey of kindness and selfless giving, please take a few minutes and read how the organization unfolded and the quantities of relief aid were acquired and distributed. The whole story is documented in the Headmaster’s Corner. (The link to this section of our website is to the left.) The short version is this: the greater Brent Manila “family” has come lovingly together in a big, big way with charitable and unselfish support of our affected neighbors in Biñan. Again, thank you, everyone, so very much!

And now, added to this effort, is our association as a school with the leadership of the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. (AFI). We just learned this week that AFI is donating 200 sacks of relief goods (that’s 2,000 family packs!) together with 400 sacks of clothing for victims in Biñan. Thank you, AFI! Brent students, faculty, administrators and staff, together with representatives from AFI will distribute those donations to families from the nine evacuation centers in Biñan next Friday, 6 November.

It’s hard to believe, but as great as this total effort has been, the need continues to be equally as large. With the considerable donation from AFI, however, we can continue to move our focus back to what we are first and foremost, a school! So we are looking for ways to support schools in the greater Biñan area. One way we can do that is to collect old school supplies – notebooks, pad paper, pens, pencils, crayons, etc. Those items no longer needed at home would become the school supplies of students and teachers who have lost everything in the floods. Thank you for looking through your closets and helping us help children and schools in Biñan.

And finally, we mention again our annual and well-established Biñan Christmas Drive. Our Executive Student Council has organized this event every year since we opened here in 1999, and we hope to make this year’s drive the most successful ever. In the past, student councils at all levels in the school have asked our community to purchase any number of Christmas buckets. Traditionally, each bucket has cost P500 and contains supplies and some food items to help make the Christmas season just a bit merrier. You will be learning more about this effort in the coming weeks, and we take this opportunity to thank you in advance for your support of, and participation in, the Biñan Christmas Drive.

Again, the suffering and misery continues for many so very close to our school, and we thank each and every one of you for your unselfish support of those in need. You are all very important reasons why Brent School Manila is “the place to be!” Thank you again and Godspeed!

A Change Of Focus

a progress report for Thursday, 22 October 2009

Last Tuesday morning, 20 October, Brent Manila’s Chaplain, Fr. Benjamin Jance, and Upper School Assistant Principal, Mr. Joseph Levno, attended a meeting focusing on relief coordination and planning at Biñan City Hall. The good news is that there is a well-organized structure in place to help the folks in Biñan, and there are more and more relief organizations getting involved with helping. The bad news is the need is tremendous!

With so many qualified (and trustworthy) groups and individuals getting involved, everyone agreed to coordinate all efforts through the Mayor’s Office and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Everyone present was relieved that aid organizations are now recognizing the tremendous need that exists in Biñan. The Municipality of Biñan appreciates and continues to welcome Brent’s involvement at any level.

Our Brent representatives made the point that, while Brent was very proactive in providing immediate aid to the hardest hit areas – and we will continue helping as we can – we are most interested in strengthening the existing connections and looking for more long-term ties with those in our local community. We are not a relief organization, though we help when and where we can. We are first and foremost a school, and our support may now naturally move more towards those kinds of activities and exchanges that we can do best as a school.

In the immediate short-term, therefore, we continue to collect donations, and our plan is to continue to distribute those supplies to Canlalay Elementary School and to the evacuees living there, and/or wherever else the Mayor’s Office sees fit. So, donations in cash and kind are still needed and most definitely appreciated. In addition, since Canlalay School has lost so much of their school supplies, we are also collecting notebooks, pad paper, pens, pencils, crayons, etc., etc., that we can give to the students and teachers at the school. If Brent students and parents are looking through those used supplies from last year, for example, please know that all of those half filled notebooks and old pens and pencils would be greatly appreciated by the youngsters at Canlalay Elementary School.

And then there is our annual and well-established Biñan Christmas Drive, which definitely makes a lot of sense this year! Our Executive Student Council has organized this event every year since we opened here in 1999, and we hope to make this year’s drive the most successful ever. In the past, student councils at all levels in the school have asked our community to purchase any number of Christmas buckets. Traditionally, each bucket has cost roughly P500 and contains all kinds of necessary supplies and some food items to help make the Christmas season in the greater Biñan area just a bit merrier. This year’s drive may very well look different from past efforts based on the ‘fluid’ situation and/or rapidly changing needs in Biñan. You will be learning more about this effort in the near future and we look forward to your full support and participation.

Again, the suffering and misery continues for many so very close to our school, and we continue to thank each and every one of you for your unselfish support of those in need. Thank you again and Godspeed!

No Christmas For Many?

a progress report for Wednesday, 14 October 2009

The predictions are exactly that grim! Depending on the rainfall, the water in Laguna de Bay may not recede to pre‑Ondoy levels for two to three months. That realistically may translate to little or no Christmas for many residents of the barangays surrounding Laguna de Bay.

According to a Monday, 12 October article in the Manila Times by reporter Rommel Lontayao, Biñan Mayor Len Alonte said, “More than 5,000 families in just two barangays are now greatly affected by the flood caused by Typhoon Ondoy. They try to go on with their lives, but the floodwater will probably stay for at least two to three months.” The diseases caused by exposure to the increasingly contaminated floodwaters are just now starting to multiply and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.

In Biñan alone, more than 7,000 families were initially affected and about 3,000 families still reside in evacuation centers. When one realizes that a family, on average, is five persons, that translates to 35,000 individuals initially affected and 15,000 still living in evacuation centers just in the Biñan area. There are hundreds of other barangays around Laguna de Bay equally affected.

Most of the evacuation centers are the schools where children and teachers are still trying to conduct classes. In fact, in one school we visited, Canlalay Elementary School, close to twenty families are living in each of the classrooms. At last report, there are 385 families staying in this evacuation shelter. Classes, therefore, are conducted in the multipurpose hall with curtains separating the different sections and grade levels. Not an ideal situation by any means, but one the teachers, administrators and students are putting up with in order to maintain some semblance of normalcy in this very abnormal situation. You can see results of our most recent trip to Canlalay Elementary School on the following downloadable video.

So the suffering and misery continue and there is still great need – for bottled drinking water, food, blankets, old clothes, and money to buy medicines. We appeal to our greater Brent family to continue to support the relief effort if not here in Biñan, then someplace else around Laguna de Bay or to the north where our fellow citizens have been affected.

As a school, we continue to help by focusing on the 385 families currently living at Canlaylay Elementary School. This location provides us with a safe place for our students and teachers to help by distributing goods and with no direct contact with the contaminated floodwater.

So Dear Friends, we still need your help. If you have given already, thank you, but is there something more you might be able to donate? If you have yet to contribute, please look around your home and consider what you no longer need that might be of use to those who have lost everything. If you can donate some Pesos, we would gladly be the ones to purchase the much‑needed medical supplies with your generous donation.

While most of our greater Brent families are probably planning for another “usual” Christmas, we ask you, what kind of a Christmas will our neighbors in Biñan have? What can we do to help make their lives better now and for the next few months?

Thank you, One and All, for your support, now and into the future. Godspeed!

The Ongoing Relief Effort

a progress report for Thursday, 8 October 2009

With your continued generosity and support, we are now well into our second week of collecting and distributing relief goods for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy here in the Biñan area. Water levels from Laguna de Bay remain high enough that eight barangays in Biñan are still experiencing knee to shoulder deep water. The suffering continues and so too do our efforts!

There were comments made about our decision to hold classes that first Monday, 28 September, and quite honestly, not all of those comments were positive. As you well know, we decided to hold classes and the organization of our relief effort was a direct result of the fact that we were here working together.

We had an opportunity to visit this past Tuesday afternoon with the Mayor of Biñan, Mrs. Len Alonte, and she expressed her sincere appreciation to the Brent School family for our continued support of those in the greater Biñan area. In fact, according to her, Brent School was Biñan’s only source of aid for the first three or four days. Imagine that, their only source of aid! Other national and international efforts were focused on the Cainta and Marikina areas, and perhaps rightly so, but Biñan residents were also severely affected. In fact, only recently did other relief efforts find their way to those affected in Biñan.

So what is our plan for the future? We have two goals. The first is to continue to collect and distribute goods – rice, water, blankets, canned goods, etc. – and to buy needed medicines with the cash that has been donated. Student, faculty and staff volunteers will pack and load the collected items, and we will make at least one trip per week for the next few weeks or for as long as the donations and contributions continue. Certainly our Brent employees, particularly the security guards and Jammas who were directly affected, are grateful for the help and support.

Our second goal is to organize a Brent Disaster Relief Group. This organization would be made up of students and adult volunteers whose primary responsibility would be to put into place practices and procedures Brent School would follow for disaster relief in the future. There would be a core leadership group (of students mostly) who would initially write the processes and instructions, design the functions of the different sub-groups, and essentially run the group the next time we find ourselves supporting a disaster.

Back to the present for a moment: the group of student and faculty volunteers distributing your generosity to Biñan this week delivered more than seventy-five boxes of donated relief goods. Thank you so very much!

So, the misery and suffering continue; the need is still there today and will be there tomorrow and into the future. We continue to appeal, therefore, to the generosity of our Brent family for your support of those still in need. In thanking you for what you have already given, we look forward to learning of your continued concern and commitment to those affected by this devastating event. Thank you and Godspeed!

The Challenges Continue

a progress report for Friday, 2 October 2009

Since making our initial request for support from the greater Brent Manila community – that letter together with the first progress report can be found on the Headmaster’s Corner (the link to which is to the left of this article) – our students, parents, faculty and staff have made five trips over the past four days to the Biñan Mayor’s residence (which has been turned into the “repacking and distribution center” for the greater Biñan area) and to the Center of Hope Orphanage also in Biñan. With those trips we have delivered:

* Note: As a reference, the large boxes that we have filled are about the size of Balikbayan boxes, so the volume of goods is considerable!

As of today we have also received P61,719.30 in cash donations. These funds will be used to buy rice, canned goods, noodles, more bottled water and medicine for children.

Close to three hundred students, teachers, staff and other employees were directly involved with the collecting, sorting, packing and transporting of these goods, not counting all of the individual community members who donated. Together with the countless other students, parents, faculty and staff who took the time to donate in cash or kind, we are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support.

And speaking of that effort, one of our talented Grade 11 students put together a moving video educating us not only on the recent event here in the Philippines but also about the other calamities in the region. The second half of the video documents the efforts of our students, faculty and staff. We know you’ll find it a moving account of this past week.

That’s the good news! The worrisome news is that the misery and suffering continue. The need is still there today and will be there tomorrow and into the future. We continue to appeal, therefore, to the generosity of our Brent family for their support of those still in need. In thanking you for what you have already given, we look forward to learning of your continued concern and commitment to those affected by this devastating event. Thank you and Godspeed!

Brent Schools Response

A Progress Report From Headmaster Dick B. Robbins
Wednesday, 30 September 2009

First of all, we want to thank each and every one of you for the kindness and concern you have shown for the victims of Typhoon “Ondoy” through your donations in time, cash and kind. I want to take this opportunity to update the greater Brent community on what has been and will continuing to be the Brent Schools response. All Brent Schools – Manila, Baguio and Subic – have responded quickly and significantly to the crisis facing our country. By being in school and organizing effectively, we have accomplished the following:

Typhoon Donations

Dear Brent Family,

The Administrators, Teachers and Student Leaders have met in school today and talked about doing something and helping people who are directly affected by typhoon ‘Ondoy’.

Employees who are directly affected by the typhoon may avail of the financial assistance from the school. The Personnel and Finance Officers will facilitate and help those who are in need.

At the same time, we would like to appeal to students, parents and members of the Brent Family to donate any of the following:

– Rice

– Noodles

– Canned Goods (Fish or Meat)

– Bottled Water

– Clothing

Whatever is collected will go to two (2) of the hardest hit low‑lying barangays along Laguna de Bay in the Municipality of Binan. The Mayor’s Office of Binan will help in the distribution of the relief goods.

Donations in kind will be received at the Drop‑Off while cash donations may be deposited at the Cashier.

You may please take your donations to Brent School starting today, September 28 through Friday, October 2, 2009.

May the kindness and sincerity that we bring wherever we are make the world a better place.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Fr. Benjamin A. Jance III
Registrar/Chaplain

Noted by:

Mr. Dick B. Robbins
Headmaster

More On Why Brent Is “The Place To Be!”

We had the opportunity to ask students a few weeks ago why they chose to come to Brent School. For the most part, they answered it was because their parents chose to send them to Brent or because they lived close by. Fair enough.

So now we ask parents, why have you chosen to send your children to Brent School Manila? We hope it is because you have had an opportunity to look closely at what we stand for and what we believe in as a respected and world-recognized international school.

Perhaps some parents have also looked at the Goals and Philosophy section of our Mission Statement. In particular, we call your attention to a very important paragraph of that section which reads:

“Brent School aspires to be a living International School community, where young people from different nationalities, cultures, religions and family backgrounds, educate one another by mutual understanding and respect, openness of mind in dialogue, acceptance of the uniqueness and limitations of each, growth in the spirit of service and the practice of justice and charity.”

Last time we focused on a living international school community where we educate one another by mutual understanding and respect. Those two italicized phrases certainly set high expectations for what we want Brent School Manila to be and accomplish. But what about the next two phrases, openness of mind in dialogue, and acceptance of the uniqueness and limitations of each? These are equally powerful concepts that guide us in the way we treat one another just as much as the first two.

Only when we have an open mind while discussing differences and learning about one another, only when we can learn to accept the uniqueness of the many different individuals in our school and accept their – as well as our own! – limitations, only then can we truly respect and appreciate the quality of togetherness and camaraderie we aspire to here at Brent Manila.

No doubt about it, Brent International School Manila is a unique place with a unique opportunity for growth, not only in knowledge, but perhaps more importantly, in recognition of the beauty of the human spirit. Our goals, as outlined in our philosophy statement, and our ability to address them and reinforce them systematically over time, are but two of the many reasons we believe Brent is “the place to be!” Thanks for choosing Brent School. We realize our goals every day!

From the Headmaster

Welcome to all visiting the website of Brent International School Manila. We seek to use this site to provide general information about our school and to communicate the exceptional qualities that make Brent “the place to be” for students. Brent is a special place because of the focus we place on our students. We understand that our students are individuals that are distinct having many great and different talents, skills and personalities. All these dynamics are demonstrated in the classrooms, hallways, lunchrooms, gyms, playing field, and even on our school buses.

From our beginning days, Brent has viewed each child in a holistic manner. We see the child – our students – as having a unique body, mind and spirit, which our school environment seeks to enhance and develop.

Brent has a long history and tradition here in the Philippines. Recently, we celebrated 100 years of our legacy of learning in Brent Baguio. Brent Manila has been following that legacy now for the past 25 years. We are proud of our history. Brent is just as proud to be located in the Philippines. Being here in the Philippines, just outside one of the largest cities in the world – Metro Manila – provides us with a global backdrop, and since we seek to open our students’ minds to the world, our location aides us in educating our students as global citizens.

The truth of the matter is that we are extremely proud of our school. We take pride in the fact that very often people speak of our “Brent family.” We strive to be a place where everyone may feel loved and supported. We seek to be a positive place where smiles vastly outnumber other expressions. Brent takes great pride in our academic focus, seeking to enable our students to go to a college or university upon graduation. Brent has facilitated hundreds of young men and women to move out into the world with a solid academic foundation.

We have developed our facilities to support our goals and vision for our students. That can clearly be seen as you see the balanced enthusiasm we placed in our classrooms, science labs, libraries, theaters, gymnasiums, and playing fields. These match our schools affiliations as well. Brent Manila is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In addition, we offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP), and Brent Manila is a founding member of Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC).

As Headmaster of Brent Manila for the past fourteen years, I thank you personally for your expressed interest in our school. Please come and see for yourself. We would be more than pleased to welcome you.

DICK B. ROBBINS
Headmaster

“Brent Schools, in a Christian ecumenical environment in the Philippines, are committed to develop individual students as responsible global citizens and leaders in their respective communities, with a multicultural and international perspective, and equipped for entry to colleges and universities throughout the world.”

Brent School Is “The Place To Be!”

On Friday, 28 August, at the Middle and Upper School Chapel Assemblies, we had an opportunity to focus some attention on a very important paragraph from our Goals and Philosophy section of our Mission Statement. We asked the students why they chose to go to Brent School. What made you and your parents chose Brent? So now we ask you parents, why did you choose to send your child to Brent International School Manila? We wonder if you made your choice based on anything you might have read in our Goals and Philosophy?

In particular, we call your attention to the second paragraph of that section which reads:

“Brent School aspires to be a living International School community, where young people from different nationalities, cultures, religions and family backgrounds, educate one another by mutual understanding and respect, openness of mind in dialogue, acceptance of the uniqueness and limitations of each, growth in the spirit of service and the practice of justice and charity.”

What a powerful statement! The entire paragraph was a bit too much to talk about in one Chapel Assembly, so we focused our remaining time only on the two highlighted sections – that Brent School Manila aspires to be “a living International School community” where we “educate one another by mutual understanding and respect” – again, what powerful phrases!

Think about this: if every Brent family member would contribute ten minutes each day towards that vision – just ten minutes per day in our very hectic and demanding lives – think how much more understanding and loving our world would be. If in only one of the many interactions we have with people in our busy days, we could approach that person with mutual understanding and respect, what would be the results of that interaction and what might be the far-reaching affects in our lives and the lives of those we touch? Think about it.

And then there is the rest of the paragraph! What a potent vision for what we aspire to be here at Brent International School Manila. No wonder Brent School is “the place to be!”

A Positive Sense of Community – Respect

Any school community is like a large family, and like any large family, we may not always want to be around every other member, but we certainly learn to respect everyone’s rights and tolerate their differences. Respect is a very important concept in any community, and we need both to learn respect and to practice it. Our “Positive Sense of Community” must have every member of our greater Brent family practicing respect on a daily basis. Respecting one another involves respecting ourselves, and it also involves respecting each others’ property.  

Let me tell you a story. Let’s say some students find another student’s Brent ID on the floor of the Cafeteria. What’s the respectful and responsible thing to do? Certainly picking it up is a great first start. Because it belongs to someone else and because that person may well be looking for it and worrying that she or he has lost it, the best course of action is to return it to the person directly. Doing so respects both the student’s feelings and her or his lost property. If the students picking up the ID do not know the student, then returning it to the Cafeteria staff or the teachers on supervision duty or even their school Principal would also be respectful and responsible acts.

Using the new-found ID to buy some food for themselves takes my story into entirely different areas of selfishness, poor judgment and illegality. Our parents, our religions and our school teach us the difference between right and wrong. Respect and empathy are important components of those teachings. Were students who take something that does not belong to them to put themselves “in the shoes” of the one whose ID is lost or whose property is taken, they could then understand how that person feels to have his or her valuables returned unused and in perfect condition? This is how we show respect for our fellow students, by returning lost and found goods immediately and by not taking them in the first place! Respecting the property of others all the time means we could have a campus where nothing ever gets taken or goes missing.

Think about it, students. The next time you see something that does not belong to you and maybe you and your friends are considering taking it, what is the respectful, responsible and honest thing to do? How do you feel when you find something missing from your bag?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have individual student spaces (also known as “student lockers”) here on our campus with no locks? What if we all took responsibility for keeping each other’s valuables safe and undisturbed by simply respecting everyone else’s privacy and their personal belongings?

That’s part of the “Positive Sense of Community” I envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Caring / Empathy

We wrote last week about respect and how important that concept is in our “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent International School Manila. Certainly caring and empathy are two equally important characteristics that go hand–in–hand with respect in helping us build on and strengthen our community.

I had the privilege of speaking at the Middle School Chapel Assembly last Friday, 5 September, and I chose to speak about empathy because it is such an important characteristic that our Middle School age children are grappling with on a daily basis.

Empathy is defined as “the capacity to recognize or understand another’s state of mind or emotion.” Interestingly enough, empathy or the ability to empathize is not something we automatically acquire as we grow older. Like respect, we have to practice empathy on a regular basis in order for it to become embedded in our consciousness. Psychologists tell us that youngsters only gain the ability to understand another’s point of view – to empathize – during those precious Middle School years. I stressed with our Middle School students, therefore, that they need to practice empathizing and doing so in a positive, helpful and caring way.

Again, we are a large family here at Brent Manila, and we may not always care to be around other members of that family. That said, we can still be caring and respectful of how others are feeling and we can, at the very least, not add to anyone’s bad day. My mother used to tell my two brothers and me, “If you don’t have something nice to say about someone, don’t say anything at all!” When I started to quote my mother to the Middle School students last Friday – “If you don’t have something nice to say …” almost every student in the Theater knew the ending …“don’t say anything at all!” Now, isn’t it truly amazing how wise our mothers are in teaching us how to behave?

So, we can chose to be positive in our dealings every day with our greater Brent family members or we can chose to stay neutral and “not say anything at all.” It’s when we dip into the negative areas and say and do things that are hurtful or mean that we are not helping to promote our “Positive Sense of Community.”

Think about it. If every family member keeps his or her comments, thoughts and deeds positive and helpful, if every greater Brent family member practices empathy and caring towards their fellow family member, we will build an even stronger “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent International School Manila.

Empathy and caring are most assuredly significant parts of the “Positive Sense of Community” that I envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Supporting One Another

We mentioned last week how, together with respect, caring and empathy are essential characteristics of our “Positive Sense of Community.” Supporting one another on a daily basis also contributes significantly to our overall success as a caring and uplifting community. We look to every Brent family member to offer that support not only for everyone in our school but also for the overall health and welfare of our school.

Time for another story: I heard the other day of a student who is struggling with some conduct issues, basically acting out in inappropriate ways, and that these behaviors were starting to get this student into more and more trouble. When the student’s friends were asked by the Principal about these behaviors, their unanimous response was, “That person always behaves like that.”

“Really?” asked the administrator. “And, do you find the behaviors acceptable and proper?”

“Oh, no!” was the overwhelming response from the group of ‘friends.’

“So,” asks the administrator further, “what are you doing to help this student stop behaving inappropriately? You know the behaviors are unacceptable and wrong. You know the student is in trouble for continuing to exhibit those behaviors. So, what are you doing to help your ‘friend’ change and stop behaving in unacceptable ways?”

The questions we all face at times like this are, how do we: 1) support one another in appropriate ways, 2) help each other make positive decisions, and 3) keep our relationships in tact and positive? Those certainly can be difficult decisions in the face of peer pressure, new friendships and growing relationships. In some instances, remaining ‘cool’ and not being viewed as the ‘goodie-goodie’ or the ‘snitch’ also place added pressure on each of us.

Still, we know the difference between right and wrong. Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn said that there is a line separating good and evil that runs “through every human heart” and that every action he took, however small, was for one or the other. Yes, we know right from wrong and good from evil. Obviously, the more we can keep our thoughts, words and deeds on the side of good, the more positive will be our actions and the more positive our community.

Perhaps you have heard the Anti-Drunk-Driving slogan: “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” That saying has undoubtedly saved countless lives when caring friends step in and prevent someone impaired by alcohol from driving. I contend the same holds true in my story. If ‘friends’ and loved ones step up on a regular basis and inform their friends that what they are doing – or perhaps what they are contemplating doing – is a bad idea, is wrong, will hurt someone else, or will hurt themselves, then we start to eliminate inappropriate actions and build further our “Positive Sense of Community.”

Think about it. If every Brent family member actively supports their friends and helps them make good, positive, and respectful decisions, we will build an even stronger “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent International School Manila.

Support for one another is most assuredly a significant part of the “Positive Sense of Community” that I envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Honesty / Integrity

Perhaps more than any other characteristics of our “Positive Sense of Community,” honesty and integrity are absolute key concepts we all need to exercise daily in all of our dealings with ourselves, with our families, and with other members of our extended Brent family. When combined with respect, empathy, caring, and supporting one another, being honest in everything we do and say and acting with integrity take all of our interactions at school and elsewhere to new positive levels.

Honesty and integrity are the glue that holds in place all of the other characteristics of the “Positive Sense of Community” we have been discussing. Respect without honesty is shallow; caring for one anther without integrity is much less meaningful. Acting with honesty and integrity definitely is taking the “high road.” Let’s look at why.

Honesty is defined as “freedom from deceit or fraud.” When we are honest with ourselves and with each other, there is no trickery or deception in our motives. Integrity is defined as “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character.” When we act with integrity, we do so with truthfulness, honor, and reliability. For sure those are two very powerful definitions of two equally powerful and important characteristics.

But we know that honesty is not always the easiest value to exercise. In the face of mounting peer pressures to ‘be cool’ or to be accepted, being honest in thought, word and deed and perhaps helping your friends be that way too is challenging to say the very least. Still, as mentioned last week, we know the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, and the more we can keep our thoughts, words and deeds on the side of good, the more positive will be our actions and the more positive our community.

Think about it, students. The next time you see or hear one of your group-mates doing or saying something that really is not acceptable, ask yourself how you might best help your ‘friend.’ Is it to ignore the actions and the words even though you know they are wrong? Is it to encourage the improper behavior? Or, might it be better to take your ‘friend’ aside and suggest a different behavior? Ask yourself what it really means to be helpful and to act with honesty and integrity. Again, there is no doubt that these are difficult decisions in the face of peer acceptance and being part of the group, but maybe, just maybe, we are all called to a higher standard.

Wouldn’t Brent International School Manila be an even more amazing place if every one of us stepped up and used honesty and integrity as our standard of behavior every day? Now that’s the “Positive Sense of Community” I envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Forgiveness

Over the past four weeks, we have highlighted six important characteristics of our “Positive Sense of Community” – respect, empathy, caring, supporting one another, honesty and integrity. Forgiveness is another major trait of any positive community, but forgiveness is sometimes a complicated and difficult concept to explain and describe completely. Forgiveness is defined as: “the act of granting pardon to,” “the capacity to excuse,” and “the ability to cease to feel resentment against.”

In our positive sense of community here at Brent, we certainly want to be surrounded by people who know how and when to forgive. In all honesty, however, offering forgiveness and knowing what that really means is probably more difficult and perplexing than asking for forgiveness and really meaning it. Many of us easily say, “I’m sorry” when confronted with some transgression we have committed. But do we really mean it?

Certainly being sorry is the appropriate feeling for doing something that is not right or something that is against school rules or social norms, or for saying or doing something that hurts someone. But all too often, the phrase, “I’m sorry” roles off our lips with very little meaning attached.

Let’s look at a simple example. Adults in any educational setting often have to correct student behavior – let’s say, inappropriately wearing the school uniform or violating our grooming regulations. When confronted, most Upper School students will say, “Oh, I’m sorry.” But are they really? Students know our uniform policy and our grooming regulations, and they also know when they are not in compliance. Basically they chose “to push” the limits of the policy, so are they really “sorry?” No doubt they are sorry they got caught and confronted, but we doubt they are truly sorry because more times than not, they will repeat the same behavior.

One true measure of “being sorry,” then, is that behavior changes and is not repeated. Humans have the ability to learn from our mistakes. Demonstrating that ability means that repetitions of the same or similar behaviors are reduced or eliminated. We call this, “One Trial Learning.” Basically, we all try different actions or new phrases on a daily basis. Those that do not work well – those that cause problems or hurt others or maybe even get us into trouble – we hopefully chose not to use again.

Think about it. Wouldn’t we have an even more amazing school community if every time someone did or said something for which they were truly sorry, they never repeated that behavior or used those words again? Yes, we all make mistakes, but learning from our mistakes and choosing not to repeat those questionable behaviors is the key to making our community even more positive and supportive. Apologizing with commitment and sincerity – saying, “I’m sorry” and changing behavior along with the apology – will definitely add to our positive sense of community.

That’s part of the “Positive Sense of Community” I envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Forgiving

We wrote last week about forgiveness and how we need to accept responsibility for our actions or our words when we ask to be forgiven. We further suggested that our “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent would be even more amazing if every time someone did or said something for which they were truly sorry, they never repeated that behavior or used those words again. Yet, asking for forgiveness may well be the easier of the two actions required in this dynamic. You see, there is asking for forgiveness and then there is forgiving, and it is this other side – the forgiving part – that is perhaps the more challenging and difficult task.

In his essay on Criticism: Part 2, written in 1711, Alexander Pope wrote, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” No doubt this is a quote many of us have heard used in countless different circumstances. Interestingly enough, a lot of people believe it is found in the Bible and some inaccurately even attribute it to Jesus. Certainly the concept and meaning are Biblical and Christ-like in nature, but it was Mr. Pope who penned the phrase.

The truth of the statement, however, is incredibly accurate. Who among us has not been asked to forgive, and who among us has not struggled with granting complete forgiveness? When we are ready to forgive, we are ready to begin letting go of resentment, anger, and hurt when another person hurts us, and that can be humanly difficult. Here’s a helpful hint: when we consider that “divine” means “emanating from God,” and if to forgive is divine as stated by Mr. Pope, then forgiving is therefore a God-like course of action. God forgives us so we can forgive others.

Let me share with you a true story. Not so long ago, a Grade 12 student “lost” a hugely important and expensive personal item. After many days of torment and angst on the part of the Grade 12 student, it was discovered that the item was in the possession of another student. This student eventually felt so bad about having the item that they returned it to the office. Of course, certain sanctions were imposed and parents were involved throughout. At a final meeting, the remorseful student was asked if they wanted to apologize. As the student stood and started an honest and heartfelt apology, they started to cry. The Grade 12 “victim” immediately moved towards the remorseful student and gave them a comforting hug. Happening right in front of us was one of the most dramatic examples of complete forgiveness we had ever witnessed. The Grade 12 student let go of all resentment, anger and hurt, and in giving the other student a hug of support, showed us all that to forgive is indeed divine.

Think about it. Wouldn’t we have an even more amazing school community if every time we were hurt by someone else, we were able to offer complete and unqualified forgiveness. Sure, we all make mistakes – to err is human – but being able to forgive completely will make each and every one of us and our entire community even more positive and supportive – more God-like.

Now that’s part of the “Positive Sense of Community” we envision. What about you? Where are you in this vision?

A Positive Sense of Community – Tolerance and Understanding

For the past six weeks, we have been discussing ways all of us can enhance the “Positive Sense of Community” we already have here at Brent International School Manila. We have focused on such attributes as respect, caring, empathy, supporting one another, honesty, integrity, forgiveness, and forgiving. No doubt about it, were each member of our greater Brent community to practice actively at least those eight traits, our positive community would be even more amazing than it already is! When we add tolerance and understanding to that list, we begin to appreciate even more the unique international nature of our institution.

For sure, one of the most exciting and important advantages of being part of a true international school like Brent is the incredible opportunity we all have every day to practice international tolerance and understanding. We are so fortunate to interact each day with students, teachers and parents from over forty different countries around the world. We have an opportunity, therefore, to learn different cultures, different world views, and different ideologies. But like the other traits about which we have been talking these past six weeks, we need to practice tolerance and understanding in order to appreciate fully their benefits.

How well do you know that classmate, parent, teacher or colleague from another country? What does that person know about you and your culture? Only when we listen to one another and share respectful comments and information will these important attitudes – tolerance and understanding – become part of our daily routine. Think about it!

Next week we will pause and take a look at how we are doing in improving our “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent Manila. What evidence do we have that consideration for and practice of the ten traits we have been discussing thus far are being taken to heart and practiced on a daily basis here on our campus?

International schools like Brent are very much like large families with diverse and complex relationships throughout. It is a “constant massage” to positively influence those relationships and lead everyone towards our shared vision of a “Positive Sense of Community.” In other words, it is a process – a constant, purposeful process – and not an event. It takes each of us regularly thinking about how we treat our fellow members of the greater Brent community and trying to raise our levels of compassion and concern. Thank you for being a part of that process!

A Positive Sense of Community – Reflection Time

So here we are, eight weeks into a campaign to enhance our “Positive Sense of Community.” Let’s pause and see where we are and how we are doing. There are a number of measures we might use to gather data. Some of those will be subjective while others are a bit more objective, but let’s take a look.

Certainly much of what we have been talking about has to do with the way we treat one another. In one dimension – that of aggressive behavior between students – we are doing very well. Keep in mind that we have over 1,180 students on our campus every day with more than 800 of those riding the buses. And when children – particularly the younger ones – cannot express themselves verbally, they have a tendency to do so physically. So overall, the opportunities for misunderstandings and possible physical exchanges are many.

That said, there have been a very limited number of altercations between students since the beginning of classes last August. And as would be expected, more of those have happened in the Lower School than in the Middle School than in the Upper School. Altogether, however, they add up to just a handful, so with 1,180 plus students in our “family” interacting on a daily basis, physical altercations have been very minimal. And in each of those cases, we continue to emphasize respect, empathy, tolerance, understanding and caring for the other person with the students involved. So, we are doing a very good job in this area! Congratulations!

Respecting everyone’s belongings, however, is a different story, and we really need to work on this area more aggressively. Cell phones in particular continue to go missing on our campus at an alarming rate. Not only do we all need to take good care of our own personal property – and this can start by not bringing expensive items to school! – we also need to help our fellow students by respecting their belongings and looking out for theirs as well as ours.

The news is not entirely negative however. We have had reports of students and staff finding cell phones and turning them into the nearest office. Those items were returned to their rightful owners, and we have honored the individuals who acted responsibly and with honesty and integrity. That is the good news of which we need more – much more!

So how do we improve the other situation? We believe that students can help minimize these negative incidents by taking more initiative within their groups. Our feeling is that because students like to talk to one another, more often than not they know who might be taking other students’ things. If they are aware of that happening, they need to talk directly to the student involved, or at the very least, talk to a responsible adult to get help on how to deal with that person. All of us are here to help. We also believe parents can assist us by keeping an eye out for any “suddenly-acquired” new items your student might bring home from school.

But how sad, really, that our own Brent family members apparently take things that do not belong to them. One might ask, how can it be that those who have so much – and yes, members of our greater Brent family are blessed when compared to others in this country! – how can these “family members” take items that do not belong to them? Where is our honesty, our integrity, our caring and our respect? Where is our “Positive Sense of Community?”

We have a few suggestions and we will definitely continue this conversation next week. Certainly your comments and suggestions are most welcome and appreciated as we all work together to enhance our “Positive Sense of Community.” Thank you for your interest and concern.

A Positive Sense of Community – More Reflection Time

We mentioned last week as we paused to reflect on how we are doing in our campaign to enhance our “Positive Sense of Community” that we had some areas to celebrate and other areas that needed our continued attention. On the physical aggression level, students are clearly showing respect, empathy, tolerance, understanding and caring towards one another, and for that we can celebrate. The same positive report, however, cannot be given when it comes to taking items that do not belong to us. Theft on our campus, particularly of cell phones, is happening, and all theft is completely unacceptable!

But once again, the news is not altogether negative. Just as we were publishing the first “Reflection Time” piece last week, a student turned in a cell phone he had found on the bus. That phone was returned to the owner, who two days later found a phone in the Media Center. She would have turned it in anyway, but because her “lost” phone had been returned to her so quickly, she felt even better about returning the one she had found. This kind of reminded us of the movie “Pay It Forward” or perhaps more of the old saying, “What goes around, comes around.” At any rate, some students are stepping up and are helping to solve this ugly problem, and we continue to honor and thank them for their honesty, their empathy and their integrity.

So we ask the question yet again: How do we improve the situation? We are still hoping that students will step up and take the initiative when they see or hear of one of their peers taking something that does not belong to them. Because students like to talk to their peers, we believe some students in our midst know others who perhaps have a problem with taking things that do not belong to them. In fact, we have experienced positive results in the past with students convincing other students either to return a “taken” item or to confess that they have taken something that does not belong to them. Students can be a powerful resource in this campaign because peer pressure is a most powerful motivator. Of course, it would be best if that pressure were applied before any act is committed.

From our adult side, we feel confident that we have been diligent with ourselves and with our employees. When items are discovered unattended, our Brent employees – teachers, secretaries, custodians, security staff – are all very good at identifying to whom those items belong and returning them, or at the very least, turning those items into the Lost and Found.

Parents can also help by monitoring those items your child takes to school. Expensive cell phones, ipods, jewelry or other electronic devices (laptops?), if brought to school at all, need to be watched carefully and not left unattended. Perhaps keeping the cell phone on a lanyard around the neck or in a holder on the belt would be ways of keeping them safe. Using the private book locker (and keeping the combination private!) would be another way of securing those items.

But how sad, really, that our own Brent family members apparently take things that do not belong to them. And again we ask, how can it be that those who have so much – and yes, members of our greater Brent family are blessed when compared to others in this country! – how can these “family members” take items that do not belong to them? Where is our honesty, our integrity, our caring and our respect? Where is our “Positive Sense of Community?”

Paying attention to your own personal items and those of your friends, not bringing expensive items to school with you, helping those who have taken something to return it, and setting good examples by immediately returning or turning found items in to the nearest school office – these are all ways we can help lessen the number of items that go missing on our campus.

The bottom line here is respect – respecting the property of others – and when we all practice that important value – the first one mentioned as we started this awareness campaign! – we will enhance our “Positive Sense of Community.” Think about it. How can you help make our school an even more positive place to be? Thanks for your support and your input.

ESLR Attainment and Our Positive Sense of Community

We mentioned last week about our Expected School–wide Learning Results (ESLR–s) and how they provide us with a framework for the “Positive Sense of Community” we have been discussing this semester. We want you to know that in all of our curriculum development work, teachers design lesson units purposefully to include opportunities for our students to learn about, practice and show evidence they are attaining each of our seven ESLR–s. In fact, the curriculum work we are currently posting on a web–based program (so that Baguio, Subic and Manila have a common curriculum), requires faculty to select an ESLR as an educational objective in order that each of the seven areas are systematically addressed as a student moves through our school.

Not all of the ESLR–s are dealt with in a single unit, however, nor are they all “attained” at the end of a given school year. Rather, we strive to develop each one commensurate with the grade level and age of our students. An effective communicator, for example, certainly “looks different” in Grade 2 than it does in Grade 11. Likewise, evidence of a technologically literate individual grows with each year in our school. The goal of our Expected School–wide Learning Results, therefore, is for every Grade 12 student to exhibit evidence of attainment or mastery by the time they graduate from Brent Manila.

To help with that goal, some teachers post the ESLR–s in their classrooms — they are most visible in the S300 area of the Middle School with one or two on each of the pillars in that classroom area — and then refer to them regularly as they go through their day. Comments like: “Now, that was a perfect example of being a responsible citizen, wasn’t it class?” or “My, wasn’t that a precise, articulate and clear presentation? That was an excellent example of effective communication!” can be heard in a number of classrooms around our school on a daily basis.

As mentioned, we have addressed two of our ESLR–s — responsible citizens and tolerant individuals — as part of our on–going discussion on a “Positive Sense of Community,” but let’s take a second and closer look into the descriptors of those two areas. They state that we look to develop:

• Responsible citizens: who exercise leadership, work cooperatively with others, and are sensitive and responsive to the needs of their communities; and
• Tolerant individuals: who are familiar with and proud of their own cultural traditions, are familiar with and appreciate diverse cultures and value systems, and recognize that they are members of a global community;

These two expected results are more definitive than simply saying we want to develop responsible citizens and tolerant individuals. In our everyday experiences here at Brent, we purposefully work to provide opportunities for our students to exercise leadership, to show us they can work cooperatively with others, and to show us they are responsive to the needs of their — and our — community. We design lessons and activities so that our students can show us they are familiar with and proud of their own cultural traditions, that they appreciate cultural diversity and that they are productive members of a global community.

In other words, we purposefully plan opportunities for all of our students, from Nursery to Grade 12, to learn about, practice and eventually master each component of the Expected School–wide Learning Results. We believe sincerely that the end result of this effort will be an even more “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent International School Manila.

We will continue next week to look at other ESLR-s and how being aware of and working to attain them also contributes to our “Positive Sense of Community.” Thank you for your attention and Godspeed! 

ESLR Attainment and Our Positive Sense of Community – Continued

We started looking more closely last week at our Expected School‑wide Learning Results (ESLR‑s) and how they provide us with a framework for the “Positive Sense of Community” we are enhancing here at Brent International School Manila. We looked specifically at respect and tolerance, two important characteristics of that sense of community, and how our teachers are purposefully planning opportunities within their lesson units for students to learn about, practice and eventually master each of our seven ESLR‑s.

This week let’s take a closer look at three more of our Expected School‑wide Learning Results. As students move through our school, we look to provide them with opportunities to develop as:

• Critical thinkers: who are self directed, solve problems creatively, and contribute their talents to their communities;
• Technologically literate individuals: who use technology effectively to achieve personal, professional and academic betterment, adapt their skills to respond to the needs of a changing world, and use technology in an ethically responsible manner; and
• Healthy individuals: who exhibit behaviors conducive to physical wellness, understand the spiritual and emotional dimensions of health, and are appropriate role models of wellness in their communities;

Like all of our ESLR‑s, the descriptors within these three expected results help us to define more precisely what it means to be critically thinking, technologically literate and healthy students. In fact, the expanded indicators to which our teachers are actually writing their lesson and activity units are even more detailed than the general ones listed above. Still, knowing that we purposefully provide opportunities for our students to learn about and practice all of our ESLR-s adds a depth of commitment to all of our programs here at Brent International School Manila.

Because of our dedication to our ESLR‑s, Brent Manila students get to show us they are self directed and creative problem solvers who contribute their talents to their communities. Certainly those actions contribute to our overall “Positive Sense of Community.” And when they demonstrate they can use technology to achieve personal, professional and academic betterment, adapt those skills to respond to the needs of a changing world, and use technology in ethically responsible ways, no wonder our students are adding to that positive culture. Finally, when they also show us they can exhibit behaviors conducive to physical wellness, understand the spiritual and emotional dimensions of health, and are appropriate role models of wellness in their communities, we are adding to our overall “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent School by addressing these three and all seven of our ESLR-s.

No doubt about it, the Expected School‑wide Learning Results we have chosen for ourselves form the foundation from which our “Positive Sense of Community” is being built and reinforced. We will continue next week and look at the remaining two ESLR‑s and how being aware of and working to attain them also contributes to our “Positive Sense of Community.” Thank you for your attention and Godspeed!

ESLR Attainment and Our Positive Sense of Community — More

We have now looked at five of our seven ESLR‑s (Expected School‑wide Learning Results) and discussed how they provide us with a framework for the “Positive Sense of Community” we are purposefully enhancing here at Brent International School Manila. The remaining two learning results state that we are looking to develop:

Like the other ESLR‑s, the descriptors within these two expected results help us define more precisely what it means for our students to be effective communicators and life‑long learners. Three key phrases stick out in our minds from the descriptors as having particular significance in our quest to improve our “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent. We wonder if they caught your attention as well.

Phrases like “ability to listen and understand,” “take responsibility for the message,” and “a passion for the truth” are certainly ones that, when practiced and mastered by individuals, would add value to any community. One could argue that students – and adults! – who possess and practice those traits will contribute to the “Positive Sense of Community” here at Brent. In fact, they would be exactly the kind of individuals we want leading the way not only in our school, but in our greater communities as well.

So there you have it. Seven Expected School‑wide Learning Results that form the foundation from which our “Positive Sense of Community” is being purposefully built and systematically reinforced. Next week we will step back and take a look at all of the key characteristics we have mentioned and discussed over the past twenty weeks. As always, we thank you for your attention and opinions on this and all of the other pieces.

Our Positive Sense of Community — A Summary

We started a discussion last August about the “Positive Sense of Community” we look to enhance and want everyone in our greater Brent community to support – students, teachers, parents, staff and administrators. This is now the eighteenth consecutive week we have been discussing the characteristics and values that define this vision/reality. In this time we have also looked at our Expected School-wide Learning Results – the ESLR-s that our school developed more than nine years ago with input from faculty, parents, students, staff and administrators, basically every “stakeholder” in our school. We looked more closely at how these results help us purposefully plan for, introduce, practice and master elements of this positive community we desire. The list of characteristics and descriptors is impressive. Let’s take a look back at some of those significant elements.

So far we have talked about respect, caring, empathy, supporting one another, honesty, integrity, forgiveness, forgiving, tolerance and understanding. Those are ten very powerful concepts and characteristics! Perhaps there are others you might want included in our discussion list as well. One thing is for sure though, any institution where these ideals are valued, practiced, encouraged and expected must also have the kind of overall positive environment where individual dignity is honored and where dignity in general flourishes. In a summary sense, that is the goal of our “Positive Sense of Community,” isn’t it? – to make Brent School a place where everyone respects and honors the dignity of everyone else.

In the last few weeks, we have also looked at our seven Expected School-wide Learning Results – responsible citizens, critical thinkers, technologically literate, healthy, and tolerant individuals, effective communicators, and life-long learners – and we examined how elements of each result are purposefully included in the lesson units our teachers prepare. In other words, we plan opportunities for our students to learn about, practice and then demonstrate an understanding of each expected learning result.

We hope the discussions this semester have had meaning for each of you and that a review of the pieces from time to time – they are all listed in the Headmaster’s Corner – may provide opportunities for reflection on how we all can contribute to our “Positive Sense of Community.” Are we there yet? Not all the time and not in every area. We have mentioned, for example, that far too many members of our community tend to take items that do not belong to them, and that is definitely a black mark on us as a community. Are there moments when we demonstrate a true “Positive Sense of Community?” You bet there are, and we need to recognize those moments, celebrate them, and share them with the entire community!

Only when each of us works daily on contributing to our overall “Positive Sense of Community” – only when individual dignity is respected and honored – will we take this initiative to the next, higher level. Thank you, parents, students, faculty, staff and administrators, for being an active part of this effort.

As always, your feedback and input are important to us, so please feel free to express your opinions on this and any other events happening in our school. Thank you in advance for your support of the people and programs here at Brent International School Manila. Godspeed!

 

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